Newly minted MIC vice-president SK Devamany has taken the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia daily to task for publishing an 'erroneous' report.

sk devamany He has demanded that the Malay daily apologise to him, MIC president S Samy Vellu and MIC members over the report today which quoted Devamany as criticising the party leadership.

"I also want Utusan to retract the report and make the apology in its front page, failing which I will institute legal proceedings against the newspaper," he said in a statement.

The Cameron Highlands MP said it was highly irresponsible for the newspaper to publish "something out of thin air."

Utusan had quoted the deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department as saying that Samy Vellu must relinquish his post as MIC president.

Utusan's motive questioned

Devamany said he has already spoken to his lawyer and Samy Vellu about the matter.

"How can they report something like that when I never even spoke to any Utusan reporter yesterday about my president and my party," he said.

samy vellu mic Devamany questioned Utusan 's motives in publishing the report which he said was aimed at discrediting Samy Vellu and MIC.

He said Samy Vellu has received the mandate of the MIC members to continue as the party president and all parties should respect it.

"I support my president and he will lead the party for as long as the (MIC) members want him to lead," he said.

Samy Vellu, who was recently returned as president for a record 11th term, is coming under tremendous pressure to vacate his post.

Last week, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also urged him to step down, after describing him as a liability to Barisan Nasional.